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Choosing a Shetland Sheepdog Breeder First of all, the most important thing to remember is not to buy from a pet store. Ever! The puppies available at pet stores usually come from "puppy mills", where they receive less than adequate health care, to say the least, and are extremely prone to health and heredity problems. Health guarantees are often insuffient, or are simply not honored. The puppy mills producing these animals usually use bad breeding practices, such as ignoring potential (or known!) hereditary defects, selecting for looks only, neglecting temperament in breeding decisions, and not providing proper health care and cleansliness of breeding pairs, pregnant and nursing mothers, or puppy litters. Puppies may also be removed from their mother too early, resulting in even more long-term personality problems than the puppy was already born with. They are then often neglected and sometimes mistreated while waiting to be sold. That being said, most of these problems are not isolated to pet stores. Many people make the mistake of buying directly from the puppy mill. A good rule of thumb is to visit the kennels personally before making a purchase decision. Are the animals clean? Do they appear healthy? Well socialized? Shelties, like all animals, and people, for that matter, have distinct personalities. Some Shelties are shy, some are barky, and some are naturally nervous, especially if they are kept kenneled outdoors. However, a Sheltie should never be aggressive. This is a sign of bad breeding, and any indication of aggression (other than a protective mother with new puppies, of course) should prompt you to get in your car and drive away immediantly! Are there so many animals that proper care seems impossible? Feces piling up, uneaten food, empty water bowls, and extremely smelly animals are more reasons to run. No breeder with an average number of dogs can keep all of their Shelties perfectly groomed all of the time. But the dogs should be reasonably clean, free of mats, debris, and odor. Most, if not all, of the animals should have been thoroughly brushed within the past week or so, and bathed within the past 2 months. It is usually pretty easy to spot a Sheltie who has not been regularly groomed, by the condition of their coat. Please do not confuse normal shedding with neglect, though! If you are concerned about the coat condition of any of the breeder's dogs, don't hesitate to ask them about it. Even if the kennel does not appear to be a puppy mill, and is clean, there could be problems with the breeder. Can the breeder provide references upon request? Do they answer your questions in an informed, cooperative manner? Do they appear knowledgable about hereditary diseases and problems associated with the breed? Are they willing to discuss the flaws of their puppies and adults? (No dog is perfect, and a breeder who is unwilling to openly discuss flaws is another reason to run). If the animal is purebred, can they offer a pedigree? What type of contract, if any, is required? A pet puppy should only be sold under a spay/neuter contract. If the puppy is being sold as a show/breeder prospect, the breeder should be able to point out the virtues that make this puppy worth showing/breeding. By the same token, they should be able to tell you why a puppy is being sold as a pet. Does it simply have an undesirable characteristic such as large ears, or round eyes, or is there a structural flaw such as an over or under-bite (could lead to dental problems), or a heaing/vision problem. Perhaps it is not suited for the show ring because of personality quirks. None of these things make a puppy less desirable as a companion, but they do keep her out of the show ring, and, hopefully, the whelping box. Another unpleasant, but necessary question to ask: What happens if the puppy does not work out for you? Perhaps a divorce or illness or allergy will prevent you from keeping the animal someday. Will the breeder take the dog back? Or will you be forced to put the dog in a rescue or shelter, or worse, the pound? Noone wants to face that possibility when buying a puppy, but it is extremely important that the breeder be willing to take responsibilty for the animals they have bred. Now that you have thought of some questions for the breeder, let's talk about the questions they should be asking you. A responsible breeder will want alot of information from you, such as they ages of your children. Are they accustomed to dogs? Are you familiar with the breed? Where will the puppy sleep? What do you plan to feed him/her? What type of training techniques to you plan to use? (They should also offer suggestions if needed). Do you have a fence? If not, how do you plan to keep the animal safe? These are just a few of the questions a responsible breeder will ask. They should also offer brushing lessons and grooming tips. A puppy should not be sold without a signed contract, registration papers, health guarantee, shot/health record, and breeder-contact information, as well as feeding, grooming, and general care instructions, and at least a couple of days worth of food. One of the best things about a good breeder is that they are almost always willing to recommend a fellow breeder when necessary. If you decide not to buy one of their puppies, they should never hesitate to refer you to another breeder who may have what you are looking for. If they hesitate, that is a red flag. Are they not familiar with area breeders? Why not? Are they reluctant due to injured pride, or hurt feelings? Perhaps they have a poor reputation with other breeders, and fear what a good breeder may say about them. (A good breeder, like any good person, of course, should remember the old addage-"If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing" but that may not always be the case). Sometimes, unfortunately, we must recommend that you do NOT use a certain irresponsible breeder. We prefer, though, to simply recommend that you DO use a certain responsible breeder. Don't hesitate to ask friends, family, coworkers, vets, other breeders and dog-owners, or even strangers at the vet's office or pet-supply store for references. Searching ads and websites can be informative, but nothing can compare to a kennel visit, or at the very least, a phone call. Many breeders with websites, such as myself, must be contacted initially by email. After that, the breeder should be willing, eager actually, to meet you in person, or at least speak with you by phone. They should also be willing to provide current photos in the meantime, and pedigrees when requested. Gut instincts and first impressions can go a long way in selecting a breeder. If you feel that something is amiss, it probably is. Run immediantly, and find a different breeder, no matter how cute the puppy may be!
This article was posted on April 07, 2006
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